Nana dips her head. “Headmaster.”

In front of her, in his leather chair behind a desk, sits a middle-aged man with smile wrinkles and a clean-shaven face. “You said you have something important to discuss?”

“Yessir.”

He looks at her for a moment before sighing and slumping. “Why is it you only search for me when you have something important going on instead of just coming by to see me? Why do you not call me ‘Papa’ anymore? It’s been so long since we last saw each other.”

Nana’s expression freezes and she looks up. “I feel it inappropriate. You are too busy and I don’t wish to bother you.”

“Bah, business is for fools. Any wise man makes enough time for everything.” The Headmaster crosses his legs and leans his head on his fist. “So what is this ‘important thing’ we must discuss?”

She goes to sit on one of the couches surrounding the antique wooden coffee table. She takes a deep breath. “You knew my mother, correct?”

It’s the Headmaster’s turn to freeze.

Her next words cause his face to pale. “Headmaster John Linsder, formerly known as John Schindler, the heir to the Schindler Family, the secret protector of the Morana Family. Please do not lie to me.”

The room falls to silence. “How long have you known this?”

“Not long.”

“Where did you learn of it?”

“This… I can’t tell you.”

After a few more moments, the Headmaster sighs and smiles ruefully. He relaxes back into his chair and looks up to the ceiling. “Cecelia Morana was a free spirit, always searching for new uses of magic, much like you. When the Magical Bureau got wind of an unknown person travelling through dimensions, they chased her on the grounds of being a possible Morana, one of the so-called ‘traitors’ of humanity.”

“Why was the Morana Family deemed a traitor? It’s only written that they betrayed humanity.”

“The Morana Family holds the most power, by far, of all of humanity. During the Demon War, the Moranas held the front line by themselves. When the war ended, afraid that the Moranas would take over in the future, the MB forced them to either submit or die. Instead, they chose the third option and went into hiding. The Moranas fled to a separate dimension. Thus, the MB said that the Moranas switched sides and joined the demons.”

“They felt threatened of their position?”

“Not the entire MB. A minority sided with the Morana Family secretly, a few of which were found out and killed.”

“Then the MB President’s group?”

“Yes. Despite unifying the continent under a ‘presidential rule,’ the power is corrupt, and the most powerful mages are on their side.”

“But why didn’t the Morana Family help to overthrow them?”

“If the Moranas helped, the war that ensued would allow demons to run rampant once again.”

“But the demons will come again anyway.”

“Yes, the demons will…” The man’s glance shifts to her. “What did you just say?”

“The demons will come again.”

“Where did you learn this?”

“The truth is-” Nana’s voice chokes and she grits her teeth.

The Headmaster smiles ruefully. “You can’t say?”

She nods. Looking out the window, she crosses her arms. “You said the MB chased Cecelia, not killed her. Then how did she die?”

“She visited me one night, years after I had last seen her, and a few days later, she died giving birth to you. She had eaten a locrian seed.”

“A locrian seed? Why?”

“Locrian seeds have the common known effect of lessening the time it takes for a baby to be born at the expense of the life of the mother.”

“But why would she use it?”

He smiles sadly. “Out of despise for the world she once loved.”

----------------------------------------

Seth knocks on the door and enters when a voice responds from within. He closes the door behind him and salutes. “Headmaster.”

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“Seth Sazonia. To what do I owe this pleasure?” The Headmaster smiles warmly from his desk.

“Obviously, he’s here to confirm whether we really are related, Headmaster.” Sitting leisurely on the couch, Nana crosses her arms.

“Nana, How many times must I request you call me by a more familiar address?” the Headmaster says exasperatedly.

“Then it’s true,” Seth says, looking between the two. “Who is she really, Headmaster?”

The man gestures for him to sit down, and Seth takes a seat across from Nana. “It looks like you already have your guesses.” He looks back to Nana.

“She’s one of the Morana Family.”

“Correct. To be precise, she’s the heir.”

“The heir?” Seth repeats, his eyes widening.

“Indeed, though the family is at the moment unaware of this fact.”

“Won’t someone else just be the heir then?”

“The sign of the heir is only passed through one person at a time. I’m sure the Morana Family is searching for her.”

“What do you mean the sign? There was no record of such a sign in the MB files.”

“I see you did your research.” The Headmaster stands up and begins pacing. “One of the most closely guarded secrets of the Morana Family is the Seal of the Heir.”

“Are you sure it’s okay to tell such a ‘closely guarded secret’ to me?” Seth says, raising a brow.

“Nana trusts you, so I trust you as well.”

“Even though my father is a part of the MB?”

John stops pacing and scrutinizes Seth. “Even so. On that note, he was invited here as well, so before we continue, we may as well wait for him.” Right on time, a knock sounds from the door. “Come in!”

An older version of Seth appears. After closing the door behind himself, the man glances at the three people in the room. “Headmaster Linsder, or should I say John Schindler.”

“As expected, the MB knew my hidden identity.”

The man smirks and shrugs. “The only reason you are still alive is because of your position as Headmaster. Your connections are so strong that the MB couldn’t spread rumors strong enough to turn the people against you.” Going to sit beside Seth, he looks toward Nana. “You must be Nana.”

“Four, since you are here, I take it you looked into the contents of the gem.”

“How do you know my nickname?”

“I can’t say.”

“You can’t say?”

“I can’t say.”

“Why not?”

“I can not say.”

The man slumps back. “Magic restrictions, huh?”

Nana smiles. “As expected of Bastion Sazonia. It’s nice to see you again. How have you been?”

“You speak as if you know me.”

Her face reddens and she curses. “Stupid habit.”

“Habit? So you do know me.”

“Yes. I do.”

“How are you acquainted with me?”

Opening and closing her mouth a few times, she again settles with, “I can’t say.”

He sighs. “What kind of magic did you cast to fall into this predicament?”

“A secret, extremely forbidden magic.”

The Headmaster coughs. “Apologies for intruding on your one-sided reunion, but I do believe that is not why we are here.” Nana and Bastion turn their attention to the Headmaster and he continues, “As I was saying, the closely guarded secret of the Morana Family is that of the Seal of the Heir. As Nana is the heir, she naturally has the Seal.”

“Doesn’t the Morana Family have the means to track the seal?” Seth asks.

“No. They never had a need to track the seal as all Morana members before were born with at least two other members present.”

Bastion leans his chin on his fist. “So what exactly is this seal?”

John takes a seat at the head of the table. “It would be easier to show you. Nana, I will assume you know how to undo the Seal.”

“Yes,” she confirms and stands up. Closing her eyes and rolling back her sleeve, she begins drawing a magic circle in the air. The circle stays visible as a concentrated blue light. When she finishes drawing, she opens her eyes and points to the center of the circle. “Book of Morana, Seal Release!” The circle moves over her exposed arm, revealing a shifting pattern on her skin. “The Seal is a powerful spell cast by one of the first of the Moranas. It takes the mana of all the previous heirs and becomes the sealed mana pool of the new heir.”

Seth and Bastion look at the shifting pattern in shock. “Isn’t that extremely powerful?” Seth says.

“No matter how powerful magic is, there is always a limiting factor, that is, the price of using the mana from this seal.”

Nodding, Bastion leans forward in interest. “That price is?”

“I can’t say, but it changes on the user. After all, the higher the price, the more powerful the magic used is.” Nana retracts her arm and the pattern quickly fades.

“So are you going to find the Morana Family, then? You can go directly inherit your position right now, couldn’t you?”

“She can’t, at least, not right now.” The Headmaster turns to the three-fold mirror. “In order to stay hidden from other possible dimension-users, the Moranas move once a month and hide within three dimensions. A dimension within a dimension within a dimension. Pinpointing them is impossible without knowing where they will be.”

Bastion takes out the stone that Nana had originally given to Seth from his pocket. “Then what’s the meaning of this?”

“That, Four, is merely me seeking your help. All the information in there is true.” Nana smiles. “The demons are coming, and right now, we are powerless to stop them.

“And you can’t say how you know this information.”

“Exactly. I’m glad you catch on quickly.”

Bastion nods. “And I’m supposed to believe you and go along with your plan.”

“I know your true identity, Mr. Younger Brother.”

He sighs. “I almost can’t be surprised anymore. You intend to blackmail me?”

“Quite the opposite. As you can see,” she gestures to John who looks as confused as Seth, “even the Headmaster knows nothing of this affair.”

“What do you want?”

“I merely wish to save this world and the people in it.”

“Who are you really?”

“My name is Nana Streak, or Stina Morana. Will you help me?”